David sat back in his chair, controller in hand, eyes glued to the screen. He was playing Fortnite with Notzoeyblack, who was getting unusually competitive today.
"Dude, you've improved!" Zoey's voice came through the headset, her tone genuinely impressed. "You're not half bad anymore. I might actually have to start taking you seriously."
David grinned. "Well, I do have a lot of free time these days, so I'm getting pretty good at this."
Zoey laughed, her voice carrying a playful edge. "Yeah, but I think you might be overestimating your skills. How about we try FIFA again? It won't look good if I keep beating a professional in his own sport."
David immediately scoffed. "Pfft. Alright, fine. You think you can beat me again? You barely know what offside is!"
"I know what offside is, David! But do you know what's coming next?" Zoey teased.
Before David could respond, there was a knock at the door.
David froze, looking at the screen in confusion. "Wait, what? Who the hell is knocking at my door?"
Zoey raised an eyebrow. "Dude, you better check who it is. Or did you order food or something?"
David shook his head. "No, I don't think so. Let me go check."
He muttered under his breath and grabbed his mask from the table, feeling an odd sense of unease. He padded over to the door and peered through the peephole. A man stood there in a torn suit, looking ragged, like he'd been through a storm.
David squinted, still unsure of what was going on. "Who are you and what do you want?" he shouted from behind the door, keeping a safe distance.
The man's voice cracked with relief. "Oh, thank God! Are you David Jones?"
David narrowed his eyes, still not convinced. "Who's asking?"
The man cleared his throat, sounding a bit more formal. "Hello, I'm Jonathan. I'm an agent. I'd like to talk to you about an opportunity."
David glanced back at the screen. Zoey's voice was loud in his ears. "Dude, don't let him in! I don't trust this guy. Call the cops, seriously."
David frowned but stayed calm. He wasn't about to let some random person in, especially not after what happened last time he blindly trusted someone. He shouted back at Jonathan through the door. "I'm not interested. Please leave, or I'll call the cops."
Jonathan's voice became more desperate. "No, wait! It's true! I've been looking for you for days. Please, can I come in? What I have won't disappoint you."
David raised an eyebrow and started to turn back to his game, but he heard Zoey's voice again. "David, I'm serious! Do NOT let him in. He probably wants to sell you some fake contract. Call the cops!"
But Jonathan wasn't giving up so easily. He continued, his tone getting more passionate. "I want to become your agent. I believe you have what it takes to play in the big leagues, man. You could be playing for Manchester United by next season. I can make that happen. Just hear me out."
David was silent for a moment, his mind racing. Manchester United? That was a big claim, especially from a guy who looked like he'd been living out of a dumpster for the past week. David shook his head, still uncertain.
He leaned against the door and replied, his voice steady but skeptical. "You're not serious, right? You look like you're running some kind of scam. How can I trust you when you look like that?"
Jonathan seemed taken aback, but he wasn't ready to give up yet. "I— I may not look the part, but I know talent when I see it. Please, just let me explain. This is the opportunity of a lifetime."
David crossed his arms, still eyeing the man through the peephole. His first instinct was to just shut the door and call the cops, but then he thought about it—what if Jonathan really was an agent? What if he really could get him to a bigger club?
But then again, David wasn't born yesterday. He wasn't about to get scammed by some desperate-looking guy in a ragged suit.
"Look, man," David finally said, "I'm happy where I am right now. I don't need any... whatever it is you're selling."
Jonathan sighed, his voice now tinged with frustration. "I get it. But think about it—Manchester United! A chance to play with the best in the world."
David stared at the door for a moment, then turned around, muttering, "Yeah, right... nice try, buddy." He went back to his chair and picked up the controller again, his thoughts swirling.
Zoey's voice crackled through the headset, a little too amused by the whole situation. "So, what happened? Did you let the creepy guy in? Or was he just a fanboy?"
David let out a dry laugh. "Nah, he's full of crap. I told him to get lost."
"Good call," Zoey responded. "But hey, now that you've got that out of the way, you ready to lose to me in FIFA? Or are you too busy being a professional Fortnite player now?"
David rolled his eyes, though he couldn't help but smile. "Alright, fine. Let's play."
And as they jumped into the game, David couldn't shake the weirdness of the encounter. Manchester United? An agent? Was it really that easy to move up in the world? Or had he just dodged a bullet?
He didn't know. But as he scored another goal on FIFA, it didn't seem all that important. Not for now, at least.
"Yeah, Zoey. You're about to lose today. Just accept it," David said, a grin spreading across his face. The game might've been virtual, but this time, he was sure he'd win.